


Whiskey Gold and Ocean Blue

by kenshi_vakarian7



Series: Whiskey Gold & Ocean Blue [2]
Category: Mass Effect - All Media Types, Mass Effect: Andromeda
Genre: Angst, Custom Female Ryder | Sara, Drabble, Drabble Collection, Drama, F/M, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Prompt Fill, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-29
Updated: 2018-07-19
Packaged: 2018-11-20 23:02:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 10,843
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11344911
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kenshi_vakarian7/pseuds/kenshi_vakarian7
Summary: A collection of prompts and drabbles about moments of the past, present, and future of Reyes Vidal and Kira Ryder.Updated when inspired and chapters are not in chronological order.7/19/2018 - New chapter, "Hero," now posted!





	1. The (Better) Kadara Welcome

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Day 1 of Reyes Appreciation Week. Prompt: Sweet Hello.
> 
> This scene may or may not be extended for a future story.

The first impression of Kadara for Kira Ryder was… less than stellar.  First, there was the awful stench of sulfur hanging heavily in the air.  Upon walking further into the planet’s port, dirt, body order, and feces added into the smell and Kira had it in mind to turn around and grab her helmet in order to take advantage of its air filters.

She also decided that she was going to take a shower the moment she got back on the Tempest.

Kira knew she’d be naïve to think that the smell and the grime on the floor would be the worst of it.  Still, upon coming down the stairs to heading towards the planned meeting place with the Resistance contact at Kralla’s Song, she was slightly caught by surprise upon seeing an angaran being beaten by uniformed guards – Outcasts, she realized.  They harped something about unpaid protection feels and how those who didn’t pay deserved what they got.  There was also the hypocrisy over how the Outcasts were armed in a supposed cease-fire zone.

With the heat of anger growing within her, Kira was forced to continue onward and head inside Kralla’s Song to meet her contact.  She headed straight to the bar in a spot where no one occupied, witnessing a spat between a krogan who didn’t want to pay his tab and the asari bartender who demanded payment.  A knife to the table was all it took for the krogan to comply.

Not even fifteen minutes on this planet and Kira already wanted to turn around and head anywhere else, even Voeld and it’s frozen wasteland or Havarl with it’s toxic plant-life.

Then, from the corner of her eye on her left, Kira noticed someone approaching before stopping just a few feet from her.  She almost expected them to start trouble with her, but was instead greeted with a warm, accented male voice.

“You look like you’re waiting for someone.”

With a raised eyebrow and a little trepidation, she turned her head to get a better look at her greeter, a human male with short raven locks and bronzed skin, who signaled his order to the bartender.  The bartender served two cups and practically slammed them down in annoyance while glaring at the newcomer.

Kira watched as her greeter took the cups in each hand and offered one to her.  She didn’t miss the subtle smirk on his face or the way his golden eyes gazed at her as though he was evaluating her.  That was to be expected… but then again, she was doing the same with him.

Going with her gut instinct, she accepted the drink and their cups clinked together before they took a sip.  The whiskey burned at the back of her throat and there was a subtle hint of sweetness to it… probably a locally-made drink.

Even before he introduced himself as her contact, Kira realized that this man in front of her was the first to give her a warmer welcome to Kadara compared to the smell and the other people here.  It also didn’t hurt that he was very nice to look at.


	2. Camping in the Badlands

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> From Day 2 of Reyes Appreciation Week. Prompt was 'Pleasure.'

“Okay… I can understand where the chocolate came from and I know you mentioned that these are the closest to graham crackers you can get… but do I even want to know how you managed to find marshmallows?”

Kira Ryder stared at the bag of marshmallows in her hands just as Reyes finished lighting up the campfire.  The fire gave off a pleasant warmth and took off some of the chill of Kadara’s air.  The smell of burning wood did well to conceal the subtle hint of sulfur (it’s been tolerable since Kira activated Kadara’s vault… it improved moreso after Meridian went online).

Weeks ago, Kira got the idea of camping in Kadara’s badlands for one night.  Reyes wasn’t keen on it at first considering the badlands’ reputation (more for her sake than his own), but he soon relented the more she talked about it (which included the tantalizing ideas she planted in his head).  In the time leading up to this evening, he scoped out the perfect spot high on top of a steep hill with jagged ridges surrounded a flat piece of land.  The only way up was by shuttle, one which they both agreed to use instead of a tent.  They didn’t think any fiends would climb up to their camp, but considering how they wanted an evening that didn’t involve a firefight, it was better safe than sorry.

Kira mentioned about s'mores during one email exchange and how she missed them.  So of course, Reyes used his connections to track down the ingredients. The chocolates weren’t difficult to find.  The closest equivalent to graham crackers was angaran made and tasted sweeter than the real thing.  As for the marshmallows, well…

“They were homemade, believe it or not,” Reyes answered.  “I worked out a trade to get them.”

Kira pursed her lips as she stared at the marshmallows.  “That’s… not what I expected to hear.”

Reyes chuckled as he sat down next to her on the blanket they laid out over the ground.  “You thought they were contraband?”

Kira shrugged.  “Well apparently, popcorn is, so it wouldn’t surprise me.”  She turned her head to him.  “So, where did you find these?”

“One of the restaurants at the port makes them,” Reyes replied.  “The owner wasn’t selling them, but I convinced him to let me have some in exchange for a bottle of Relay Brandy.”  He paused for a moment as he took the bag of marshmallows from her.  “He did say that the powdered gelatin used to make them were contraband.”

Kira groaned a little. “Seriously?”

Reyes laughed, knowing that she was annoyed over powdered gelatin being considered contraband.  He went ahead and opened up the bag.  “Come on, let’s see if this is just as good in Andromeda as they are in the Milky Way.”

With everything else already set up, they each grabbed a marshmallow before stabbing the fluffy treat with a twig.  Then they brought them over the open flames to let them roast for a bit.

Kira found herself smiling fondly.  “I haven’t done this since my family and I used to go camping in the Sierras when I was a kid.  Dad even insisted on camping the old-fashioned way, too.  A tent instead of a mobile pre-fab, trekking to out-of-the-way areas instead of settling in pre-designated spots, cooking food like this… though Mom ended up putting her foot down over hunting for our own food.  That was probably for the best.  Doubt my brother could’ve stomach that.”

Kira moved a bit so that her arm was just touching Reyes’s.  “Did you ever go camping as a kid?” she asked.

Reyes shrugged.  “Only if you count camping with cousins in an relative’s backyard and sleeping inside the house after.”

By then, the marshmallows were ready.  They took a moment to put together the s'mores before Kira bit into the treat.  Reyes ended up watching her and he couldn’t help the smile that tugged at his lips over both the pure bliss on her face and the sound of her soft hum.

“This is as delicious as I remember it,” Kira said.  “Thought the substitute graham crackers are a bit  _too_  sweet.”

Reyes hummed in agreement as he finished off his s'mores.  After the last bite, he moved his arm so that it was wrapped around Ryder.  She responded by leaning the side of her head into his shoulder.  

For a while, they remained like this with the crackling fire the only sound they heard.  Reyes stared up at the night sky, admiring the stars as his lightly caressed Kira’s upper arm with the tip of his fingers, feeling the soft skin underneath.  Ryder closed her eyes and relished in the feel of his arm around her.  Both were content and relaxed for the first time in a while.

If only it could always be like this…

Eventually, Reyes moved his free arm to brush his fingers over Kira’s cheek. She raised her head up to look at him, giving Reyes the opportunity to lean in and capture her lips with his.  The kiss was soft and gentle at first before Kira shifted to straddle over him, her knees on either side of his hips.  Her arms encircled around his shoulders as their kiss deepened with passion.  His hands rested on her back, his grip tightening as he pulled her closer until there was no more space left between them.

Soon, they both came up for air as lips parted, their breaths mingling between them.  Reyes moved one hand from her back to caress her flushed cheek with his fingers, his golden eyes hooded as he gazed up at her.

Kira smiled as she leaned her forehead against his.  “Thank you for all this,” she murmured.  “I know you weren’t keen on the idea at first…”

Reyes grinned as the side of his nose brushed against hers.  “Well… it  _may_  have something do with… certain ideas you put into my head,” he teased.

Kira pulled back as she lightly slapped his shoulder, causing Reyes to chuckle.  He saw her lips draw into a thin line, but she saw how she tried not the laugh with the way she bit the inside of each corner of her mouth.

“Perv,” she ended up giggling after a few seconds of resistance.

Reyes laughed again as he moved to turn them both.  Soon, her back was against the blanket on the ground as he laid on top of her.  Kira’s arms wrapped around him again before one hand shifted to rest at the back of his head.

Reyes’s fingers came up to ghost over her cheek again, his eyes staring at her intently with desire.  “You know that’s not the only reason,” he murmured.

The hand at the back of his head moved to cup the side of his face, her eyes looking at him with adoration.  “I know,” she murmured before she raised her head up to claim his lips in a searing kiss that he eagerly returned.


	3. The Darkest Moment

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> From Day 3 of Reyes Appreciation Week. Prompt is 'Darkest Moments.'

The recently-disturbed soil was piled slightly higher than it was earlier that day due to the casket that now laid underneath it.  The heavy gray clouds above matched Reyes’s crestfallen mood.  The threat of rain seemed to replicate the unshed tears in his eyes as he stared at the fresh grave long since family and friends had dispersed after the funeral.

Kneeling down at the grave, Reyes took a small handful of dirt before slowly letting it slip through his fingers.  Memories of the past ran through his mind and they were all focused on the woman he had called  _Mamá_  all of his life.

The memories were little things, like all the delicious meals she cooked that he would never taste again.  There were also the childhood evening walks with the family dog before bed and the made-up stories she would tell before he fell asleep.

And then there were the regrets, like how he didn’t hug her tight enough or kiss her on the cheek the last time he said goodbye.  He couldn’t even remember the last he told his Mamá that he loved her.

She was the only person in his life who gave a damn about him… and now she was gone.

A pair of tears slipped from his eyes as Reyes felt a light rain fall from the sky.  He swiftly wiped them away with his hand before he stood up.  With a deep breath, Reyes whispered goodbye as he turned on his heel and walked away with a heavy heart and a silent promise to be someone.


	4. Love Me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> From Day 4 of Reyes Appreciation Week. Prompt is 'Love Me.'

Kira Ryder was half-asleep when she was startled by a sharp, sudden intake of breath from the left side of her bed. Opening her eyes and sitting up from the bed, she turned her head and saw that Reyes was awake. His amber eyes were wide as saucers and were darting back and forth as though he was trying to find something in the room. A sheen of sweat had also covered his skin and glistened from the moonlight shining through the nearby window.

Whatever dream he woke up from had clearly shook him uneasily.

“Whoa, easy,” Kira uttered quietly and carefully as she reached her hands out to gently grasp his shoulders.

Reyes jumped slightly at the touch as he didn't expected. His wide eyes soon relaxed the moment they noticed Kira and she could feel the tension in his shoulder easing underneath her palms. He took a few slow, deep breaths as he reached a hand up to cup her face, his thumb brushing over her cheek.

Reyes managed to smile. “It's fine. It was just a stupid nightmare.”

“Did you want to talk about it?” Kira asked with a hint of concern as she laid back down on the bed.

Reyes shook his head before he moved closer to her, taking the opportunity to bury his face against her neck. Kira said nothing as she cradled one hand at the back of his head and the other went around his shoulders. Reyes reached out to wrap one arm around her waist underneath the thick blanket they shared.

Closing his eyes, Reyes breathed in her scent of her and reminded himself that Kira was here with him. He thought of the dream he woke up from, of her realizing that she made the mistake of staying with him even after she accepted him with all of his flaws and dark secrets. The image of her walking aware and heading towards the Tempest, with the intention of leaving and never returning, lingered in his mind.

But here and now, with the feel of her arms around him, Reyes was reminded that the image was nothing more than a dream conjured up by his own fears of losing her. No, he knew by the way she looked at him and held him close to her that her heart belonged to him as much as his belonged to her.

She loved him, flaws and all.

 


	5. Winter Snow

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **For Day 5 of Reyes Vidal Week. Prompt is "Winter Snow."**
> 
> **I'm not sure if it really snows in any part of Kadara, but I'm just going to guess it does for the sake of this little story.**

Kira brewed some coffee in the small kitchenette of Reyes's apartment, the smell of the grounded beans heavy in the air. Outside, a thin layer of snow covered the badlands of Kadara with more of it falling gently from the clouded sky.

Seeing the snow made Kira suddenly wish that she had the ingredients for real hot cocoa, the kind her mother used to make at a time that felt so long ago (six-hundred years give or take). She could already imagine the smell of chocolate and the taste of real marshmallows as it began to melt within the hot mug. She smiled to herself as she remembered how around Christmas, her mother would sometimes add some pepperment to the hot drink.

Kira shook the thoughts from her head. It was useless to long for hot cocoa, at least until all of the ingredients were finally available. Who knows how long it'll be before that happened. For now however, a hot cup of coffee would have to do.

From the living room, she heard Reyes call her name. “Yeah?” she responded.

“Could you add a little whiskey to my coffee?” he requested.

Kira raised an eyebrow at that. “Isn't it a bit too early for that?”

“It's never too early,” Reyes said almost in a matter of fact.

Kira shook her head but she couldn't help the smirk that tugged at the corner of her lips. “I know you're just trying to find other means of warming up, but I thought hogging up all the blankets and sitting next to the heater was enough.”

“If you come back in here, I'll have another means of staying warm.” Kira was pretty sure Reyes wiggled his eyebrows up and down at those words behind her back.

She chuckled as she poured the freshly brewed coffee into the two waiting ceramic mugs. “Ugh, please, no more cheesy lines from you today. I'll be there soon.” After pouring the coffee, she reached for the bottle of whiskey that was on the counter and twisted off the cap. She only poured what amounted to one or two small sips in Reyes's mug. She thought to pour some in her own but quickly changed her mind as she twisted the cap back on and placed it back in its spot on the counter. Taking a mug in each hand, she left the kitchenette and headed into the living room.

Reyes sat on the floor two feet away from the small portable heater in the living room. The heater was only able to generate heat by a few feet, but it was better than nothing. He had two blankets around him; one over his legs and another around his shoulders. Both were big and had enough room for Kira to fit under. Once she joined him, he outstretched an arm to take the mug she handed to him while moving the blanket around his shoulders for her to sit in. After sitting down close to him, Kira used her free hand to wrap the shared blanket around her.

For a while, they sat like this in the cocoon of the blankets and the hot coffee warming them up. Reyes found himself more focused on his share of the drink, the heat taking off the chill from the inside during those few moments of silence, while Kira took her time with hers as she watched the snowfall outside.

“I grew up in a place where it never snows,” Reyes explained after his finished his coffee. “Right now, Elaaden sounds like a good vacation spot.”

“Ugh,” Kira groaned at the though of the planet's unbearably-hot temperatures. “I'll take Voeld over that scorching hell any day.”

Reyes huffed in amusement. “You and I have different ideas of what hell is. And didn't you grow up in a climate controlled environment? I thought you'd be affected by any kind of weather change including the cold.”

“Yeah, but I wasn't always on the Citadel. I traveled a lot even before I joined the peacekeeping corp,” Kira said before she finished what was left of her coffee. Her blue eyes widened a bit as an idea came to her. “Speaking of which,” she started as she placed the mug down next to her on the floor. “Are you willing to do a little traveling in the next few minutes?”

Reyes gestured towards the window that faced the badlands with his coffee mug. “I'm _not_ going out there,” he grumbled.

Kira gave him a coy smile as she leaned closer to him. “Not even to find a hot springs secluded from the rest of the badlands?”

He raised an eyebrow at that, but one corner of his lips quirked up. She was pretty sure he was starting of think of the same idea she had in mind. “You really want to go out there right now?” he asked.

“Why not?” Kira purred before she pressed her lips along his jawline. “Just think about it.” She moved to kiss underneath his chin. “You... me... in the middle of nowhere...” Her lips moved down to press against his throat. “Warmed by nothing but the heat of the springs...” She shifted to kiss where his pulse beated as he tilted his head back a bit to grant her better access. “With no clothes involved... not even a swimsuit...” A small nip sent a small shiver down his spine and she grinned against his skin.

“That sounds enticing, my little temptress,” Reyes murmured. He then pulled back from her and said a bit louder, “But no.”

Kira's lips pouted into a frown. “Not even the thought of me being nude in the springs is enough?” she teased. “And here I thought Reyes Vidal doesn't back down from a challenge.”

Reyes leaned his forehead against hers. “Never. But in this case, perhaps _maybe_ I don't want _you_ to get too cold.”

“Uh huh,” she chuckled with a roll of her eyes. “Excuses, excuses.”

Reyes laughed lightly as he reached a hand out to brush his fingers along her jawline. He then tilted his head a bit in question. “Would it be hard to believe that I like the idea of us enjoying each other's company as we are now? Granted, a fancy fireplace would make it better, but you know me... I make due with what's on hand in the moment.”

Kira could see the truth in those words in the way he gazed at her with those amber eyes, a hint of adoration in their depths. With a small smile and a contented sigh, she moved to rest the side of her head against his shoulder and pulling the blanket they shared tighter around them.

“No... not at all,” she finally said.

 


	6. Hard Truth

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt for Day 6 of Reyes Appreciation Week. Prompt is 'Hard Truth.'
> 
> I imagine the prompt itself leans more towards revelations, but I decided to take a bit of a different approach for this. This piece may or may not be extended later as part of a future story.

In the darkness of his apartment save for the glow of the moonlight shining through the window, Reyes Vidal’s arm encircled around the waist of the woman who slept soundly close to him, her back pressing against his chest.  Only the blankets and the clothes they were wearing separated them from touching skin to skin.

Hours had passed since he and Kira Ryder stumbled into his apartment after sharing kiss after kiss on their way here.  Their ‘date’ at Sloane’s party didn’t turn out the way it should’ve been (except when she kissed him in the storage room as a distraction), but everything else after they left had been what he hoped for.  He could taste the mix of her lip gloss and the whiskey they shared on her lips, sweet and intoxicating.

Reyes had wanted to take her in his bed then and there… but the more they kissed and the more he saw the way she looked at him with both awe and trust, the more guilty he felt for bringing her here.  That was never a problem before with any of the men and women he brought here for sex.  There was something about bringing Kira here that felt different… and he believed that it had a lot to do with being the Charlatan, a secret in which he was keeping from her.  Keema kept insisting that he should tell Kira the truth.  He wanted to, but was afraid of how much things would change between them once she found out.  He expected her to be angry with him, but how much worse would she react if she learned the truth only after they gave in to the throes of passion?

It took all of his strength and willpower to stop himself.  

“Why?” she asked with a hint of disappointment.

He said the first thing that came to mind.  “I want to, believe me. But it’s not the right time.  Not yet.”

It hurt to see how dejected she looked.  Kira started to turn with the intention to leave, but he was able to stop her by grasping for her hand.  “I’m sorry,” he said.  He usually wasn’t the type to apologize aloud, but in this case, he really meant it.  Reyes wouldn’t stop her from returning to the Tempest, but at the same time he didn’t want the night to end just yet.

“You can stay the night if you want to,” he offered.  “If not… at least let me escort you back to your ship.”

Kira paused momentarily before she turned to face him fully.  “I think I will take you up on that offer to stay the night.  It would be nice to have one night spent outside the Tempest.”  

She gazed down at their feet as she bit her lower lip for a moment.  “I… haven’t been able to be myself since before we left the Milky Way, so… thank you.”

Reyes felt his chest clench at those words.  He caught on some weeks back how Kira seemed a bit more relaxed whenever she didn’t feel the need to be 'Pathfinder.’  But to outright admit that she felt like she could be herself around  _him_  meant more than she would ever realize.

At the same time, however, those words made him feel worse about keeping his dark secret about himself from her.

Throughout the night, Reyes tried not to think about the inevitable.  He was a light sleeper to begin with, but even he knew that the few winks he usually got would not come tonight.  Instead, he relished in the feel of Kira’s soft, warm body against him.  Her serene face made her look more relaxed than he had seen her since they met.  The role of Pathfinder weighed heavily on Kira’s shoulders, but she took it in stride.  She may be deadly behind a sniper rifle, but the kindness she showed to those who needed her help was unparalleled, even here in Kadara where most of the exiles would sooner hurt her (a thought that made him grimace) before they let her help them.

No… she would not remain with him once she knows that he’s the leader of the Collective.  And perhaps maybe, for her sake, that would be for the best.  As for tonight, it would be both a blessing and a curse; a blessing that he had this quiet night with her.  A curse that this memory would be forever seared into his mind.

_I do not deserve this kind-hearted angel,_  he thought with a quiet sigh.

Gently pressing his lips at the junction between her shoulder and neck, Reyes could only hope that someday, after the hard truth finally lays out in the open, Kira would forgive him.


	7. Perfect

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **This was part of a prompt. More info will be in the notes after the story.**
> 
>  
> 
> **And hopefully, I didn't deviate too much away from Reyes's character here given the circumstances.**
> 
>  
> 
> **Enjoy!**

Reyes Vidal couldn't help the nervous twitching in his fingers as he looked over the controls on the console in front of him. Sitting in the pilot's chair with one leg shaking from side to side, he saw that all was well for his shuttle, though he was starting to get low on fuel. Luckily, the Nexus was within view through the front window.

Reyes was pretty certain that he made it to the station in record time from Kadara. However, that didn't matter to him. The lack of sleep he got throughout his travel didn't matter either. What only mattered was that he needed to get to Kira Ryder as soon as possible.

It was supposed to be a routine visit. Since she resigned from being a Pathfinder, Kira still assisted Nexus leadership with negotiating between them and and angaran leaders as an Arbitrator. In other words, her job was to keep the peace between the Milky Way species and the angarans living on Kadara. Occasionally, she made trips to either Aya or the Nexus when certain negotiations were better resolved in person rather than through video conferences.

Her brother Luke, who was the second-in-command to the current human Pathfinder, Cora Harper, took the opportunity along with her former crew to meet Kira at the Nexus and spend some time with her. This was especially with knowing that this would be her last visit to the station for a while. With the team currently exploring beyond the Heleus cluster, who knew when the twins would see each other again.

Then two days ago, Reyes received a call from Luke. He had yet to shake the words her brother said from his mind, the twin's voice laced with worry. “Kira's in the hospital. You need to come here as soon as possible.”

More than once since receiving the call, Reyes kicked himself for not taking her offer to go with her. There was too much work here for him to look over on Kadara despite the last of the Outcast being long since gone. Besides, he hadn't been a fan of revisiting the Nexus since the uprising. Kira understood – she always did – but that still didn't make him feel any better.

The Nexus became larger and larger as time ticked away, but the station still felt so far away. Sure, it was better than the more than forty-eight hours of flying he endured to get here, but now the Nexus was like someone dangling a toy in front of a cat who can't quite snatch it no matter how close they got.

Needing a distraction, Reyes let himself think about how he and Kira met at Kralla's Song more than six years ago. He also thought about all the adventures the two of them had, the fun and mischievous smile on her face whenever she was about to jump into a fight, her laughter... the way she always looked at him as though he meant everything to her. He thought of all the times they've spent together, the many nights they made love... the few times he nearly lost her...

Reyes quickly shook the last thought from his head. No... that was the _last_ thing he was going to think about.

Finally, after what felt like forever, a light ping was heard indicating to Reyes that he was within Nexus Control's comm range. Without hesitation, he pressed the comm button on the panel. “Nexus Control, this is Shuttle N-503 Anubis requesting permission to dock... preferably as close as possible to Garson Memorial Hospital.”

It was a few seconds before someone responded. “N-503 Anubis, please stand by.”

Reyes let out a breath in annoyance. He was always a patient man, but considering the current circumstance, he just wanted to get this all over with. The sooner he was there by her side, the better. At least it was much easier for him to get onto the station these days, not like from the beginning after he became an exile. That was one less thing to worry about.

The flight controller finally got back to him. “N-503 Anubis, you are cleared for landing. Proceed to docking bay S-323.”

“Roger,” Reyes replied. “Proceeding to docking bay S-323.”

Just before he began landing procedures, Reyes quickly unlocked his omni-tool - which had been turned off to prevent being tracked despite jamming technology in his shuttle – to send a quick message to Kira's brother, even while noting a few other messages waiting for him...

 

_To: Luke Ryder_

_From: Reyes Vidal_

 

_Docking now. Will be there soon._

 

* * *

 

The hospital, newly built and named after the Andromeda Initiative's founder, Jien Garson, was relatively quiet upon Reyes's arrival. Then again, as Luke directed to him in his responding messaging, going through the back way was better than the main entrance. It didn't surprise Reyes at all that a few members of the media were camping out front. Even after she resigned as Pathfinder, there was still an interest in Kira Ryder's life. With few exceptions, she despised the attention her former job gave her.

Near the door entrance, one member of Kira's former crew, Vetra Nyx, waiting for him in the quiet lobby. Most likely, Luke sent her to meet with him once the younger twin received his message. Reyes immediately went over to her and the turian didn't hesitate to wave an arm as she began to walk forward as soon as she saw him, indicating to Reyes to follow her. He remained just a couple of feet behind Vetra, keeping up with her despite her taller height.

“Luke's in there with her and with the exception of Drack, the others are in a private waiting area,” Vetra informed him before he said anything. “She's in a room not too far from here. We've been keeping the media out since word spread about her hospitalization. Luckily, no one's got in yet.”

“Good,” Reyes said in agreement. The last thing Kira needed right now was for the media to barge into the hospital when she was currently vulnerable (especially since it was the one feeling she hated experiencing the most).

As Reyes followed Vetra through the hospital hallways, he found that he couldn't even begin to start asking her the other questions that were haunting his mind; was she okay? Were the doctors taking care of her? How long would she be here for? Those were just a few out of what felt like a million questions.

It was easy to find Kira's room even before they reached it. That was because Drack was standing right next to the door, his back against the wall and his arms folded as though he was daring anyone to try to get past him. It reminded Reyes, not for the first time, how much he appreciated the Tempest crew's loyalty to Kira even long after she walked away from being the Pathfinder.

The krogan spotted them both coming his way. As soon as he made eye contact with Reyes, Drack gave him a single nod, which he returned. Vetra stopped to stand with Drack as Reyes reached the door. He only stopped for a moment to get rid of his nerves as he realized that he was finally within a few feet from where Kira was. Only then did he realize that he hadn't asked whether she was awake or not. If it was the former, hopefully she forgave him for taking so long to get here...

Reyes took a deep breath, putting on his mask to hide what he was feeling, before stepping into the room...

As Vetra mentioned, Luke was there in the room with his sister, occupying one of the two chairs next to the bed. He looked up to see who came in the room and got up to meet Reyes halfway. “Hey, you made it,” Luke said quietly once he was within arm's reach.

Reyes sighed a bit. “I would've been here sooner, but...”

“I know,” Luke replied quietly as he patted his shoulder gently. “I'm going to step outside for a bit. If you need anything, let me know.”

Reyes simply nodded to him before Luke circled around him and headed out of the room, closing the door behind him. Reyes walked over to the bed and sat in the same chair Luke had occupied moments ago. Kira was laying on her side in her bed facing the chair. She looked very tired, probably even more so than he was, but that didn't stop the small smile from forming on her face as soon as she saw him. “Hey there,” she greeted, her voice a little groggy.

“Hey yourself,” Reyes answered as he leaned forward in his chair and reached out to brush his fingers through her dark brown hair, tucking the strands behind her ear. He then leaned down and pressed his lips to her temple. “You okay?”

“I'm sore as hell and hurting all over, but I'll be fine,” Kira assured him. “It all happened so fast that I didn't really have time to process it.”

Reyes frowned. “I should've taken your offer to go with you. Then you wouldn't have been alone-”

“Hey,” Kira started as she reached a hand up to cup his cheek. “Don't blame yourself for not being here. And I wasn't alone. Luke and the rest of the Tempest crew were with me the whole time.”

Kira removed her hand from Reyes's face and began to adjust the small, bundled blanket she held in her other arm... revealing the tiny face of a newborn baby. In that moment, a flood of so many emotions crashed upon Reyes it was nearly overwhelming. He never thought it was possible to feel both exhilarated and frightened while his heart was already swelling with immense love for the little human in Kira's arms. He didn't know how to comprehend it, so he simply let it be as he attempted to take it all in.

This wasn't something Reyes and Kira ever planned. Even now, the future always felt uncertain given both the wild environment they lived in as well as their occupations. Both had been scared out of their wits when they found out, her more than him, but they eventually decided to go with it despite the uncertainty. A part of Reyes wondered during these months if they would regret their decision. But now, seeing this little baby sleeping in Kira's arms, all the doubts and uncertainty seemed to have melted away in an instant.

“It turns out she's just as impatient as her uncle since she decided to show up a month earlier than expected,” Kira continued, her smile widening and her eyes glistening with tears upon noting Reyes's reaction to seeing their daughter for the first time. “Already, she's anxious for an adventure.”

As she spoke, Reyes slowly reached a hand out and, lightly and gently so that he didn't wake her up, stroked the tip of his finger over the infant's cheek. It was softer than he had imagined. “And... she's all right? She's healthy?” he murmured.

Kira slowly nodded. “Despite being born a little early, she's fine. And she's beautiful... though she looked like a red, slimy bullfrog when I first saw her. But to be fair, Luke and I looked the same way when we were born.”

Reyes chuckled at that, his eyes never leaving his daughter. “That's one way for her to take after her mother.”

“Har har,” Kira grumbled.

Reyes leaned his head close to her, a sly smirk on his face as his eyes shifted to Kira. “I meant the part about being beautiful.”

“Liar,” she uttered, but was smiling nevertheless.

“You wound me,” Reyes gasped, feigning hurt.

Kira shook his head, still smiling. “Give birth to a seven pound baby and then we'll talk about who's more 'wounded.'”

Reyes smiled at that. “Fair enough.” He then sighed as a bit of melancholy suddenly gripped at him. He frowned as he murmured once more, “I should've been here...”

“I told you not to blame yourself,” Kira assured him. “Like I said, she was too impatient to wait and it happened very quickly.” She smiled. “Besides, your hand was spared from the ordeal. I'm almost certain I was one more squeeze away from breaking all of Luke's fingers.”

Reyes knew Kira was joking as a way to make him feel better, but it wasn't really helping that much. Kira figured that out from his lack of reaction. Her free hand reached out to caress along his jawline. “Hey,” she started. “I'm sorry you weren't here when she was born. If it'll make you feel better, I'm planning to give one certain half of Nexus leadership hell for making me travel for a useless meeting at a time like this despite my protests.”

Reyes couldn't help but smirk. “Let me know if you need me to send in the 'Calvary' to set an example. I promise they won't get hurt... unless you count their pride.”

Kira chuckled, knowing the 'Calvary' meant the few members of the Collective who were planted on this station as an extra set of eyes and ears for him. “That might not be necessary, but I'll keep it in mind.”

Reyes continued to caress the little infant's cheek before Kira asked, “Do you want to hold her?”

Reyes suddenly froze in his ministrations, feeling some reluctance over that offer, but he knew that it was out of nerves more than anything. For one thing, she looked so peaceful as she slept and the last thing he wanted to do was to disturb that. And what if he dropped her? Carefully planning raids and discreetly smuggling goods across the galaxy was one thing. Holding a baby? That was out of his element.

But this wasn't just any baby... it was their child. _His_ child. He was still trying to comprehend that this was not just a dream. _She_ was real and he was her father. The reality of the latter had yet to settle in just yet.

Lost for words, Reyes simple nodded to Kira's offer before she carefully handed the sleeping infant to him. “Just remember to support the back of her head,” she reminded him. “Her neck isn't strong enough for her to hold up on her own yet.”

Once more, Reyes nodded as he managed to get a good hold of her before he felt confident enough to lean back into his chair. The baby fussed a bit during the transfer, but soon relaxed once all the movement around her stopped. Reyes then pulled the blanket back a bit, revealing the short strands of black hair on top of her head. Brushing a finger gently over her hair, he noticed how her skin was lighter than his, but also darker than her mother's. Although her eyes were closed, Reyes was pretty sure that they were blue like all infants were born with. Whether they would stay that way, like Kira's, or turn amber like his later on remained to be seen. She was also small and light like a bag of feathers, which he didn't expect.

Holding the little girl in his arms, Reyes wanted nothing more than to protect her from all the things that could harm her in this new galaxy. Not for the first time in the last few months, he thought about walking away from being the Charlatan and letting Keema take over in full... but after everything he put into the Collective, it wasn't that easy to do. Kira understood this, more than he had expected when they discussed the possibility. Someday he may, but even now wasn't the right time.

The only thing Reyes could hope for at this point was that this decision didn't bite him in the rear later down the road...

“So,” Kira started again after some silence as she observed them, cutting through his thoughts. “How do you still feel about naming her Charlotte Ellen Ryder?”

Giving the little girl her mother's surname was something they decided on months ago. Giving her the Ryder name would keep her safe, and he would do anything to make sure it remained that way. For her sake.

Reyes leaned down to press a gentle kiss to his daughter's forehead. “It's perfect,” he murmured. “She's perfect...”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **I had this idea in my head for a while, but once I saw flight_feather's prompt on Tumblr, I decided to go ahead and write this out.**
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> **The prompt was _Family Guy: Meeting the family of his LI, creating a family, or something about Reyes’ own family growing up_ for her weekly Reyes Vidal Weekly Prompt.**
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> **Reviews are appreciated. :)**


	8. Distraction

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Written for Day 2 - Fake Relationship of the Leather & Lace Challenge on Tumblr. This prompt gave me a reason to write out a certain scene. :)**

Kira Ryder was looking forward to this evening.  Days before, she received a vid-call from Reyes Vidal who invited her to Sloane’s party on Kadara.  Not only was it a chance for her to feel normal since becoming the Pathfinder, but it was also an opportunity for her to hopefully get to know Reyes more.  She knew she couldn’t let herself get any closer to him than a business partner – he had the connections to help her establish an outpost on Kadara if convincing Sloane fell through (and that was highly likely).  The fact that he left her with the alcohol bill when they first met should’ve been her first clue to run away even though he had since made up for that.

But then she would think about the times they worked together – the way he would gaze at her when he thought she wasn’t looking, and even those moments when he flirted with her (and she would actually flirt back – she was certain she could  _hear_  her squad rolling their eyes from behind her).  They even worked well as a team during a firefight.

Kira knew why… Reyes was the first person since she became Pathfinder who made her feel  _normal_.  With him, Kira could somewhat drop her guard and be herself, at least as much as she allowed.  He even once said that if she needed to vent, she could talk to him.  Kira hadn’t taken him up on that offer yet, but just knowing that he was there if she needed to talk was, well… it simply made her feel good.

Between missions, Reyes was never too far from her mind… and that alone threw her for a loop.  She had not allowed herself to have feelings (if one could call it that) for anyone since about two years before leaving the Milky Way (not counting the six-hundred-plus years in cryo).  Even so, after arriving at the party entrance, she was taken by surprise by the fluttering of her own heart when Reyes showed up. ‘Fashionably late,’ he said, but at least she didn’t have to wait all that long.  In that moment, she decided to see where the night took them.  If she was honest with herself, she wouldn’t mind if this ended with a one-night stand.  That was easier than romantic relationships anyway.

Then he went off to do… whatever it was he was doing… and left her here by herself at the party.  That annoyed her since he was the reason she was here in the first place, but Kira decided to make the best of it; a few drinks (though she turned down Umi’s 'test concoction’ or whatever it was called), a little gambling, calling Sloane 'your majesty’ (her brother Luke would’ve got a kick out of that), and even helping out a turian who screwed up a date with an angaran.  Eventually, she chatted with Reyes’s friend Keema.  It was about business at first until the subject of Reyes himself came up.

“He likes you,” Keema said to her.

Kira rolled her eyes.  “Oh  _yeeeah,_ that’s why he ditched me at a party he invited me to…”

Keema seemed to give her a subtle smile.  “The thing about Reyes is he always has a good reason.  You’ll see.”

Kira was sure Keema meant well… heck, she was willing to take her word for it… but she couldn’t help but feel skeptical.  So when Kira found Reyes searching for… something… in the storage room a few minutes later, she at least felt more disappointed than mad at him.

“Damn it.  Why can’t the serial numbers be in the same place?” Reyes grumbled aloud as he tried to search around the side of the box he was behind.

 _Oh yeah, Keema,_ Kira thought with a shake of her head.   _He likes me all right…_

Kira placed her hands on her hips and glared at him.  “Take the night off, come out for a drink,” she mocked.  She rolled here eyes as her voice dropped in annoyance at her next words.  “Should’ve known you were up to something.”

“Ryder!” Reyes shouted as he quickly stood up.  His extended his hands out at his sides like a kid who was just caught stealing candy.  “It’s not what it looks like!”

“So you didn’t use me as a distraction to go through Sloane’s stuff?” Kira pointed out bluntly.

Reyes dropped his hands back to his sides.  “…Okay, yes.  But it’s for both our benefits, I promise-”

“You’ve been making  _a lot_  of promises…” Kira cut in with another glare.  She was going to ask what he was looking for that was apparently more important than the party but suddenly, Reyes looked over her left shoulder.  She turned to see what he saw, but there was no one there… then she heard the footsteps that were getting louder and louder with each passing second.

“Shit!” he called out.  “Someone’s coming!  We need a distraction.”

Kira didn’t know what compelled her to do it, especially considering how annoyed she was with him, but before she had time to think, she closed the space between them, grabbed hold of his vest with both hands, and pulled him in to claim his lips with her own in a searing kiss.

Reyes hummed in surprised and Kira felt the vibration of that sound upon her lips.  Kira soon felt his hands grab hold of her hips and he returned the kiss with more fervor.  He pulled her in closer, his fingers pressing into her hips and inciting a soft moan from her.

The both of them stumbled a bit before Kira felt her back against one of the storage crates. She moved her arms to wrap them around his shoulders and one of Reyes’s hands slid to press into the small of her back. Instinctively, Kira lifted one leg to wrap around his waist and Reyes used a free hand to hold the back of her thigh.  He hummed again as he pressed into her, coaxing her lips with his tongue before she opened her mouth to allow entry.

Kira knew that this was all a show for whoever was coming towards the storage room, but this was… a bit more than what was supposed to be a 'distraction.’  She felt hot all over like the temperature in the room had just risen and every inch of her nerves jolted like she was touched by live wire.

 _Six-hundred years in cryo can probably do that_ , she tried to rationalize in her head.

Kira did hear someone speak from behind them, but she paid no attention to what they said. She didn’t even hear them leave the room seconds later.  Apparently Reyes did since he ended the kiss to turn his head to look at the entrance, making sure that whoever had been there moments ago was actually gone.

Already, Kira was missing having his warm lips on hers despite feeling almost breathless.  Kira noticed that he was out of breath too.  She thought to pull him in for another kiss but she stopped herself before that happened.  She slid her hands from the back of his neck and let them rest on his shoulders.  At the same time, the hand holding her leg moved to her hip and she slowly put her foot back on the ground.

 _It’s not real,_ she chastised to herself.   _It’s just pretending to keep us out of trouble.  Nothing more._

“I think we’re in the clear,” Reyes murmured almost too carefully as he turned his head again to stare at her.  His eyebrows were slightly raised and his amber eyes seemed to give her some kind of silent question.

Kira wasn’t sure what to say to that look, so instead she ribbed at him.  “Maybe another kiss?  Just to be sure.”

Reyes chuckled as he gave her one last light squeeze to her hips.  “Now you’re just teasing me,” he said just before he removed his hands from her.

As Reyes moved to jump on one of the boxes to access another (and to find the bottle of whiskey he was looking for), Kira found herself giggling and smiling in response to his words.  At the same time, she realized suddenly that it was genuine and not as forced as it had been since she woke up from cryo.

Moments ago, Kira had been certain that she and Reyes were pretending to be in a relationship so that they didn’t get in trouble by one of Sloane’s people.  Heck, she was annoyed with him just seconds before. But after that kiss, the way her nerves seemed to ignite in the moment and the way he looked at her afterwards, well… she wasn’t so sure what she felt anymore.

Kira decided to see how the rest of the night played out.  She needed the remaining time to know for certain that what she was feeling in her heart for the smuggler was real and not just a desire for a one-night stand.


	9. Hero

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written from a prompt request ("What are you doing?") on Tumblr.

Kira Ryder was finally home. After working for over two years as Pathfinder, she was finally retiring from the role (which she passed down to Cora Harper) and settling on Kadara with her lover, Reyes Vidal. Their long-distance relationship was no more. The most they had spent together during the last two years was a month, so it was going to be nice to practically have all the time in the world. Well, maybe not _all_ the time since their respective work – him as the Charlatan and her as an Arbitrator between the angara and the Milky Way species living on Kadara – would keep them busy. But at least now, they can come home with the other waiting for them nearly every night.

Even after all this time in Andromeda, Kira didn't bring a lot of personal items with her to Reyes's – no – _their_ little sanctuary hidden deep within the mountains of Kadara. She didn't have a lot to begin with – mostly clothes, weapons, and a few personal items she either collected since arriving here or brought over from the Milky Way. All of them fit into two large boxes, except one Milky Way item encased in a metal tube that was a long as her arm. She hadn't opened that tube at all since waking up from cryo.

Reyes helped her get settled before he had to leave for a few hours to wrap up some lingering business from the Kadara-related mess they both dealt with not too long ago (and the reason she took on the Arbitrator role to begin with). He wasn't expecting any trouble, but Kira made sure to leave her omni-tool's message alert on just in case.

Once Reyes left, Kira decided to take a nice hot shower (and grateful that the water no longer smells like sulfur) and followed that with a nap on the living room couch. She wasn't sure how long she was asleep before she woke up to Reyes gently kissing her forehead. She smiled to herself when he heard him stepping away and planned to nap just a little longer...

Suddenly, a soft popping sound was heard, making Kira's eyes snap open. At first, she thought Reyes opened up the bottle of wine meant for the celebration dinner they planned for tonight. Then until she spotted him just across the room... opening the metal tube she brought over from the Milky Way.

_Oh great..._ Kira moaned in her head. She sat up from the couch and glared in his direction. She momentarily thought to stop him, but eventually let out a breath as she realized that any attempt to halt his curiosity would be in vain. If she tried to stop him now, all it would do was make him even more curious over the mystery item. _Besides, he's going to find out sooner or later anyway... might as well get it over with..._

“Reyes... what are you doing?” Kira grumbled.

He was just in middle of turning the tube over when she spoke. He gazed up at her with his amber eyes and she noticed the curiosity in them – just as she expected. “Well my dear, I happen to notice you hadn't unpacked this yet, so I thought I'd... assist.”

“Uh huh...” Kira said suspiciously. Then she decided to make a guess over real intention. “You've been wanting to pop that open since you laid eyes on it, haven't you?”

Reyes chuckled. “It is a curious thing - an unopened tube sitting in this corner while you've long since unpacked everything else – and I bet you haven't opened this once since we left the Milky Way. If I had to bet, and you know by now I'm a betting man, I'd say there's something valuable in here.”

Kira shrugged. Thinking about, it's highly likely that he wasn't wrong in his assumption. “Maybe. Perhaps it is one of a kind here in Andromeda.”

“Now you have me even more intrigued,” Reyes said with a grin. He then tilted his head thoughtfully. “I'm surprised you're just sitting there and letting me open this.”

“Yeah, well.. you're going to see what it is sooner or later. Might as well get it out of the way now, especially if we're going to be living together permanently. Besides, I'm too tired to fight you over it.”

Reyes laughed as he finished turning the tube over. “Shame, it would've been fun chasing you around while you try to keep this away from me.”

“Sorry to disappoint you,” Kira mumbled in a teasing tone.

A rolled-up paper slipped out of the tube and Reyes caught the end with his free hand. It looked brand new even after more than six-hundred years. The tube encasing it was clearly designed to keep it in the condition it was in during the long travel through dark space. Reyes pulled out the paper completely before placing the tube back in the corner where he found it moments ago.

Kira watched his face as he unrolled the paper just enough to get a look at what it is. Reyes remained intrigued as he stared at the printed picture in front of him. Then slowly, his head tilted a little to the side before one corner of his lips turned upward and his eyes sparked in recognition.

“Is this who I was think it is?” Reyes finally asked.

Kira couldn't help but glare at him. “Reyes Vidal, you know _exactly_ who that is.”

“Remind me,” he added in mirth.

That made Kira roll eyes only because she _knew_ he was teasing her. She tried to play it cool over her next words. “If you don't know who Commander Adam Shepard is by now, then I can't help but question your abilities as the Charlatan. Information is your business after all.”

_Now_ that smile of his turned mischievous. “I didn't think you'd be so... touchy over it. _Tsk tsk._ And if I recall, people usually don't use Shepard's first name when referring to him. I think you're the first.”

Kira felt her face turned hot, suddenly feeling like a young teenager with a crush... again. “So what?” she balked.

“You're blushing.”

“No I'm not.”

“You were a fan girl of his, weren't you?”

“...Shut up.”

Reyes laughed with amusement as he continued to admire the poster. “I can hardly blame you. After all, he is the hero who saved Elysium, the first human Spectre, and... very, _very_ nice to look at. You both have the same shade of blue eyes.”

“Not really,” Kira pointed out. “The pictures don't do them justice. His was actually a bit lighter and a lot nicer looking in person.”

That got a raised eyebrow from Reyes as he turned to look at her. “In... person? You actually _met_ him?”

Kira stood up to join him. “Look at the bottom of the poster.”

Reyes unrolled the poster more until he couldn't anymore. By now, Kira got a good look at the photography of the Hero of the Citadel. Shepard was standing tall in his black armor with the N7 stripe down his right arm, the same arm possessing a glowing omni-blade at his side. His left arm was raised and holding an M-8 Avenger. Blue eyes looked past the camera and his dark brown hair was cut short. Behind him was the view of the Nebula from one of the arms of the Citadel, though Kira wasn't sure exactly which arm it was (the background was likely photoshopped in anyway).

At the bottom of the poster on the right hand corner was a note written in metallic silver ink...

 

_Kira -_

_Never let an opportunity pass you by if you truly believe in your heart that it will make a positive difference in your life._

_All the best,_

_Cmdr A. Shepard_

_14 Aug 2183_

 

Reyes hummed a little after reading that. “Seems like a decent guy if that note is anything to go by.”

“He was more humbled than I ever imagined him to be given his status,” Kira mentioned as she leaned the side of her head onto Reyes's shoulder. “When I met him, it was only supposed to last a few minutes, but... we ended up talking for almost an hour.”

“Really? How did that happen?”

Kira couldn't help smiling as she recalled the memory. “I was lucky enough to still have a particular childhood friend in my life at the time. After the Battle of the Citadel, she and I both got on the station and she, well... let it slip that her older brother was serving under Shepard.” She laughed over her next words. “I _may_ have threatened to end our friendship if she didn't speak to her brother and convince him to set up a meeting.”

Reyes laughed. “I didn't realize you were such a conniving little devil.”

“Hey!” she called out as she lightly slapped his arm. “At that time, I waited seven years to meet him in person. Before that, I admired his heroism after he saved Elysium from pirates. I mean, not many can face wave after wave of pirates on their own and survive.”

“I probably could,” Reyes nearly mumbled.

Kira snorted at the way he said that. “Is that jealousy I hear, Mr. Vidal?”

Reyes huffed. “Hardly. I'd get that kind of job done in the shadows.”

“Uh huh... but then you wouldn't get the Star of Terra like he did.”

“Medals are overrated.” An amused look suddenly look came over Reyes's face. “You sure it wasn't a teenage crush and not a hero worship?”

“...Shut up. And the answer is _both_ , for the record.”

He laughed before Kira continued. “Anyway, Shepard got a bit banged up during battle so he was resting. We met up at my friend's brother's apartment and she accompanied me. I was both excited and nervous because I was certain I was going to look like an idiot at some point, but... that didn't happen. We ended up talking about myself more than anything. Believe it or not, he was actually interested in what I had to say, always asking questions and never looking bored. I've met celebrities before, but meeting him, it was the first time a celebrity didn't look... disinterested. It made me realize that day why those close to him are so loyal – because he cared about _them_ , not because of what they can do.

“After the meeting ended, he was no longer just an old teenage crush or a hero to get starry-eyed over. Shepard became an inspiration, someone to aspire to.” Kira frowned a little as she became more thoughtful. “I doubt I came close as Pathfinder, but...”

At those last words, Reyes rolled up the poster before placing it back in the tube it came in. “But you have,” Reyes pointed out as he walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. “You're an excellent leader, you made Heleus livable, created strong bonds between the angara and those from the Milky Way, and you helped those who needed it. You've done things no one else could achieve, just like he did.”

Reyes placed a kiss on the side of Kira's neck before whispering into her ear. “But better.”

Kira chuckled as she rolled her eyes. “How am I the better one?”

“For one thing... you're better looking.”

Kira rolled her eyes again. “Cheesy flatterer.”

Reyes laughed before adding, “You achieved the impossible without the N7 rank.”

“To be fair, Luke and I received some N7 training from Dad,” Kira pointed out. “Not exactly close to the real thing, but...”

“But you didn't need it anyway, nor a medal for that matter,” Reyes said. “Also, as much as I hate to bring it up, I bet you gave him a run for his money when it comes to being brought back from the dead if the rumors about him are anything to go by.”

“Maybe,” Kira said with a frown as thoughts over what possibly became of the Milky Way entered her mind from all the recordings she found in her father's personal logs. Before that, she had thought that Commander Shepard had died, which happened just over a month after meeting him... but the logs said otherwise. Even then, who knows if he – or anyone else she knew for that matter – managed to survive, end the invasion, and live out the remainder of their lives. By now, the entire Initiative knew the truth and any efforts to get in contact with the Milky Way currently remains unsuccessful.

Kira's thoughts stopped in their tracks when she felt his hold around her tighten. “I didn't-” he started to say.

Kira quickly shook her head as she reached her hands to grasp his own over her stomach. She figured that he thought she was thinking about all those close calls during the last two years of her life. “No, it's fine. I'm all right,” she assured him.

For a few moments, they remained silent and simply enjoy being in each other's arms. Kira found herself staring at their little sanctuary, still not believing that this was now home, and for good. Maybe eventually, the idea would sink in. In the meantime, she couldn't help but wonder where in their home would be a good place to hang up her Commander Shepard poster – once she got a nice frame for it of course.

_The living room would be nice,_ she considered. _Just as long as it doesn't face the window and -_

“By the way,” Reyes suddenly said, breaking the quiet. “If we ever hit any hard times, a poster of Shepard, signed for the Human Pathfinder, would fetched a lot of credits.”

As much as she appreciate the change in mood, Kira couldn't help but turn around in his arms to glare at him. “Don't. You. _Dare._ ”

Reyes laughed and Kira was about to protest more before he stopped her by pressing his lips to hers. Whatever she was going to say left her and she was soon returning the kiss.

 


End file.
